Prohibition against tricycle/‘umbak’ to carry passengers for Agbannawag to Dagupan route requested

Tabuk City, Kalinga―Jeepney drivers and operators of Tabuk-Roxas /Roxas-Tabuk/Agbannawag-Dagupan route have requested the Sangguniang Panlungsod that no tricycle or umbak shall be allowed to carry or ferry any passenger from Barangay Agbannawag to Dagupan and vice versa from 6AM to 6PM.

Jeepney operators and drivers said the tricycles and umbak are taking away their passenger making them earn less in their trips which result into loses.

TheTabuk-Roxas Jeepney Transport Cooperative, Roxas-Tabuk Jeepney Operators, Inc., Agbannawag-Tabuk Jeepney Operators, Inc., stated in a letter transmitted to the SP that when they wre permitted to resume operation they followed the transport guidelines putting barriers inside their jeepneys to ensure social distancing which cut down their earnings.

Additionally, the jeepneys have been having difficulty getting passengers because a lot of tricycles and umbaks are operating in the said route.

Route concerns

Tricycle and umbak drivers whose route should only be within Bulanao, Dagupan or Barangay Agbannawag pick-up passengers along the way (Agbannawag to Bulanao/Dagupan and vice versa) even if there are jeepneys as per LTFRB Franchise and Rights which should be providing for transport.

The jeepney drivers claimed that tricycle/Umbak drivers disrespectfully compete with them even in the presence of jeepneys parked in road stops for Tabuk-Roxas/Roxas-Tabuk route.

They likewise said that despite the verbal agreement given last 2019 where tricycle/umbak drivers were permitted to pick-up passengers within Agbannawag-Bulanao route only until 7am to give way and give consideration to the rushing passengers, they still pick-up passengers Agbannawag to Dagupan passengers anytime of the day.

Tricycle and umbak drivers’ violations

Most of these drivers, according to the jeepney drivers, have no barriers placed within their tricycle/umbaks to ensure social distancing. They ferry the maximum capacity of at least five (5) per tricycle/umbak which clearly violates NIATF/IATF/CoViD-19 safety guidelines/protocols.

Futhermore, they charge fees of PhP50.00 to PhP60.00 per head as their regular fare from Agbannawag to Bulanao (vice versa) while carrying at least (5) passengers capacity.

The SP in response referred the request to the Committee on Transportation to handle the matter.

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